


footprints

by Salty_Cro



Category: The Adventure Zone (Podcast)
Genre: Based on a song, Christmas Fluff, First Kiss, M/M, The Adventure Zone: Amnesty (Podcast) - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-26
Updated: 2018-12-26
Packaged: 2019-09-27 14:15:44
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,100
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17163488
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Salty_Cro/pseuds/Salty_Cro
Summary: indrid found that he didnt want to be alone on christmas. turns out he doesnt have to be.based loosely on "footprints" by barenaked ladies (i really recommend their holiday album)





	footprints

**Author's Note:**

> merry christmas even tho i dont celebrate it lmao

It was snowing in Kepler.

 

It was fitting, really. Christmas Eve, lights strung up around the town, everyone inside enjoying time with their friends and family. Children peeked through the curtains as the snow came to rest on the ground. The people on their way home stopped to catch a flake on their tongue before going inside. It was picturesque.

 

Indrid had drawn the scene a few days earlier. He had decided to draw something mundane and pleasant for once to test out his new colored pencils. Duck had actually given them to him. He came by and gave Indrid the wooden case. Indrid had known he would do it, but he couldn’t understand why. Duck had left soon after, claiming he had some other presents to drop off. Indrid knew that wasn’t true, but he let Duck go. He was still reeling from the idea of someone giving him anything.

 

Now Indrid was alone, walking down the main street. He was following a particular set of footprints that were quickly filling in with fresh snow. They turned left at the coffee shop, and then walked along the sidewalk up to an old building. Indrid looked back at his own footprints, and to an untrained eye they could have been walking side-by-side. There was a lot of small things that could go wrong in the next few minutes. Nothing major, at least, but they majorly affected Indrid. 

 

Earlier that day, Indrid’s trailer had developed another leak. So he wasn’t exactly eager to stay there. Problem was, he had no other place to go. It was Christmas Eve, so all the hotels were booked. Everything else was closed. Indrid considered going to the Cryptonomica, but Billy was already taking up the guest cot. That left two options: Amnesty Lodge, where a Christmas party was still going, or Duck’s apartment. Indrid was not a party person, so he went with the riskier one. 

 

There was about a 45% chance of Duck not even answering the buzzer. Indrid hesitated, a hand raised to the button. A light turned off in one of the apartments. More doubt filled Indrid’s mind. He should just go to the lodge and wait out the storm. He started to turn around. Suddenly, the lobby door swung open.

 

“Hey,” Duck said.

 

“Hello,” Indrid said. 

 

They stood for a moment, neither of them breaking the silence. The snow reflected moonlight up onto their faces. Duck was wearing a green and blue sweater and red pajama pants with white snowflakes. His signature hat was nowhere to be seen, but his hair was pulled back in a low ponytail.

 

“I saw you out here from the window, you look cold. Come inside,” Duck said.

 

“Really?” Indrid said.

 

“Yeah, come on,” Duck said.

 

Duck led Indrid into the building, up a flight of stairs, and into his apartment. Indrid immediately felt warmer. As he walked into the room, Duck’s cat walked up to him and brushed past his legs. Indrid looked around at the cozy apartment. A couple strings of lights were hung up around the place, and there was a small tree in the corner by the television. Indrid saw a few plastic ornaments had been displaced from the tree, and knew that Duck had not put them there.

 

“Wasn’t really expecting anyone tonight,” Duck admitted.

 

“That’s fair,” Indrid said. He shed the puffy black jacket he was wearing and hung it up on the coat rack. He kept the other two jackets on, though. His jeans were soaked in snow up to his shins, but there was nothing he could do about that. He toed off the boots he was wearing and walked further into the room.

 

“D’you want something to eat?” Duck offered.

 

“I’m fine,” Indrid said. Duck nodded, but pulled a saucepan off the rack.

 

“So what were you doing outside my apartment building?” Duck asked. He started measuring out cocoa and milk. Indrid tried not to look too excited. He hadn’t had real cocoa in forever.

 

“I… don’t really know,” Indrid said, “Well, I do know. There’s a leak in my trailer, so I wanted to get out of there until it’s fixed, but that won’t happen until after Christmas, and the only other place I could go is Amnesty Lodge. And as you know, there’s a party going on right now, and I didn’t want to intrude. This was the last option.”

 

“That sucks,” Duck replied. Indrid nodded wordlessly, waiting for the rest of the sentence. “You can stay here for a while, I don’t really have a guest bedroom or anything but if you don’t wanna go to the lodge…”

 

“I don’t want to intrude,” Indrid said. He knew Duck would insist. In fact, he was kind of counting on it.

 

“Nah, it’s fine. Gets kinda lonely around here during the winter anyway. Fuckin’ sky gets dark at like, two in the afternoon. Guess that’s better for you,” Duck smiled. Indrid laughed.

 

“It’s a dual-edged blade, really. I can go out more, but it’s so cold,” Indrid said. He shivered slightly to emphasize his point.

 

“There’s blankets in the hall closet if you need them,” Duck said.

 

“I’ll be fine,” Indrid said. He wasn’t, but he wasn’t going to abuse Duck’s hospitality. He just needed a place to stay for the night that wasn’t constantly making a dripping noise that drove him insane. Besides, Indrid would warm up eventually.

 

“Alright, well, make yourself at home. That’s Winnie, by the way. She’s friendly,” Duck said. 

 

Indrid looked at the cat. She was a fluffy tabby-siamese mix with patches of orange and white. Indrid stuck out his hand cautiously. Winnie rubbed her face on him. Indrid smiled and pet her cheek.

 

A comfortable quiet had filled the room, undercut by the Christmas movie playing on the television. Indrid went over and sat down on the couch. It was comfortable, more comfortable than Indrid’s own couch. Now that he was starting to warm up, Indrid curled up against the armrest. Winnie hopped up next to him and rubbed her face on Indrid’s glasses. Indrid quickly steadied his glasses and laughed slightly.

 

“She bullying you?” Duck asked. Indrid could hear the smile in his voice.

 

“No, I love her,” Indrid said. Winnie sat down like a loaf and purred.

 

“That’s a trick. You think she’s being all cute and then you leave the room for one second and she’s pushed everything on the floor,” Duck said, “I promise I’m not the one who knocked all the ornaments down.”

 

“You’re a small criminal, hm?” Indrid said, petting Winnie. She was very soft. Her purring got louder.

 

Duck walked over with two steaming mugs of hot cocoa. He set one down on the end table next to Indrid and took the other one to the other end of the couch. Indrid pulled his legs closer to himself.

 

“You didn’t go to the party,” Indrid said. It was more of an observation than a question.

 

“Yeah, I don’t know. I don’t feel like I’m close enough to all of them to go to a party. I mean, I barely see Aubrey, she’s always up at the lodge, and Ned’s got a bunch of customers now. Only time we really get together is for the Saturday Night Dead thing,” Duck shrugged. He started unfolding a blanket that had been hanging on the back of the couch.

 

“Lucky for me,” Indrid said. He picked up the mug Duck gave him and took a sip. The cocoa was delicious. It would have been too hot for a human, but Indrid was fine.

 

“Yeah,” Duck said. He spread the blanket over Indrid. Indrid frowned. “You need it. Trust me, I know when someone’s getting hypothermia.”

 

“I’m not,” Indrid said. He wasn’t sure, though.

 

“Maybe, but wet clothes usually don’t help,” Duck pointed out.

 

“I don’t have other clothes with me,” Indrid said.

 

“You can borrow some of mine. I mean, they probably aren’t gonna fit too well, but still,” Duck said.

 

“I can tell this is a ‘get-your-wet-jeans-off-my-couch’ offer,” Indrid said, standing up. Duck set down his mug.

 

“I was trying to be nice,” Duck said, “Guess I can’t get anything past you.”

 

“It’s alright, I understand,” Indrid said.

 

Duck went into his bedroom and dug around in his closet. He returned with a maroon sweatshirt and a pair of black sweatpants. “Here, these should fit good enough.”

 

“Thank you,” Indrid said.

 

He walked into the bathroom and shut the door. There was a ceramic duck-shaped soap dish, which was very in-character. But Indrid was on a time limit, he didn’t have time to marvel at Duck’s humor. Duck would come check on him in two minutes and thirteen seconds. Indrid stripped off his cocoon of jackets and shirts until he was just wearing a tank top, and then tugged off his jeans. He put on the new clothes.

 

The clothes were a little bit baggy, but luckily they were long enough. They smelled like Duck, a mixture of pine needles and coffee. Indrid had to restrain himself from actively smelling the shirt. In the final seconds before Duck knocked, Indrid fixed his hair a little bit. It was still messy, but more casual-bedhead than walked-through-a-snowstorm. Just as Duck was about to knock, Indrid opened the door.

 

Duck didn’t seem very surprised by this. He gave Indrid a once-over that lingered a moment too long and said, “Feel better?”

 

“Yes,” Indrid said, “Thank you.”

 

“You can just put your clothes in the hamper, I’m probably gonna do laundry tomorrow anyway,” Duck said. Indrid knew it was pointless to argue, so he just scooped up the pile in his long arms and deposited it in said hamper.

 

“I promise I’ll be out of here soon, as soon as I can get my roof fixed,” Indrid said. He knew Duck would insist it was fine, but he wasn't a mind reader. He didn’t know if he was overstaying his welcome. Really, he would be able to go back by the 26th, but he would move to the lodge if he was inconveniencing Duck.

 

“It’s fine,” Duck said, walking back to the couch. Indrid followed him.

 

“You’ll tell me if I’m overstepping,” Indrid said. It wasn’t quite a question, or a statement. Just a mutual understanding.

 

Now that they were back on the couch, and Indrid wasn’t so cold, he felt nice. Warm, in an emotional way. It was weird. He wasn’t used to spending time with people at all, let alone during the holidays. Indrid was out of touch with all of the traditions.

 

“Can I ask why you don’t like the lodge?” Duck asked.

 

“Well, I have a… personal rivalry with someone there,” Indrid said vaguely. He could see Duck trying to hide a smile behind his Forest Service mug.

 

“Is it Barclay?” Duck guessed.

 

“Yes. I haven’t talked to him in years, but we are still feuding,” Indrid said.

 

“What happened?” Duck asked.

 

“He knows what he did,” Indrid said. He took a drink of cocoa for emphasis. Duck laughed.

 

“Fair enough,” Duck said, “We don’t have to talk about it. Wanna watch dumb Hallmark movies?”

 

“That sounds great,” Indrid said.

 

Duck flipped the channel to Hallmark. Sure enough, ‘A Boyfriend for Christmas’ was on, for what Indrid assumed was the fourth time that day. Duck spread out the blanket again so it was covering Indrid’s legs. Indrid didn’t say anything this time.

 

They made it through about an hour and a half of repetitive festive nonsense before Indrid realized he and Duck had been shifting closer to each other. The only thing separating them was a thin strip of blanket that Winnie had been sitting on before she had to go attack another ornament. Indrid considered moving again.

 

The truth was, Indrid wanted to be closer to Duck. Physically, at least. Emotions were different. But Indrid could feel warmth radiating from Duck, and he knew he wouldn’t be fully warmed up until one (or both) of Duck’s strong arms was wrapped around him. Indrid looked forward a bit: if he did move closer, Duck would accept it. Was it worth it?

 

A warm arm dropped behind Indrid’s shoulders, totally cutting off Indrid’s train of thought.

 

To Duck’s credit, he wasn’t a mind reader either. But somehow, he must have sensed Indrid’s plans, and therefore hesitation. Indrid had to commend his ability to take initiative, even if it felt like his skin was on fire at every point of contact. It was a good on-fire, but still. Indrid hadn’t felt it in… well, ever. It was disorienting.

 

“Duck?” Indrid said softly.

 

“Hm?” Duck replied. He started to slowly retract his arm.

 

“I think I’m still cold,” Indrid said. Duck’s arm stopped moving.

 

“Really?” Duck said.

 

“Mm-hmm,” Indrid said.

 

“Can I…” Duck said softly, scooting closer. 

 

He put his arm all the way around Indrid, and almost pulled Indrid into his lap, along with the blanket. Indrid almost purred. Apparently he was beyond touch-starved; he was a touch-skeleton, abandoned years ago at the bottom of the Ohio River. Duck seemed like he needed this too, which was good. Indrid didn’t want to seem needy. He still had a reputation to uphold. At least, that’s what he thought to himself as he tucked his head against Duck’s shoulder. Duck was so warm and soft.

 

Indrid almost felt sleepy. It was getting late, though nowhere near as late as Indrid’s usual hours. Maybe because he hadn’t slept at all the past three days. Duck would likely fall asleep soon too, Indrid thought. It would take longer if Indrid stayed there, but then… oh. If Indrid fell asleep on Duck, then Duck would most likely not move. If he did eventually get up before Indrid did, then he would tuck Indrid in on the couch and go to his own bed. That wasn’t a very prominent timeline, though.

 

“Duck?” Indrid said. No response. “Duck.”

 

“Hm?” Duck responded. He was already mostly asleep.

 

“You should go to sleep,” Indrid said.

 

“You’re still awake though,” Duck said.

 

“Mm, not for long,” Indrid said. Duck hummed in acknowledgement.

 

“We should go to bed,” Duck said. Indrid looked up at him.

 

“What?” Indrid said. Suddenly a new set of timelines appeared to him. Ones where he and Duck were both asleep in Duck’s bed. Some of them included other activities, but most of them were just… soft. Indrid felt something tugging in his chest.

 

“You’re cold, and I’m lonely. It’s a match,” Duck said. He was clearly not fully awake.

 

“Duck…” Indrid said.

 

Duck started to sit up. “Sorry, I’ll--”

 

“No.”

 

“Okay,” Duck said. He stayed put.

 

“Duck, we have to go to bed,” Indrid said.

 

“Right,” Duck said. 

 

He took the blanket off of the both of them, which made Indrid curl into him even more. He stood up, supporting Indrid’s weight with his strong arms. Indrid couldn’t even find the energy to protest. Duck carried him to his bedroom and set him down gently on the bed. Indrid pulled back the covers and laid down. Duck laid down next to him and pulled the covers over himself and Indrid.

 

“You’re so nice to me,” Indrid said. He hadn’t really meant to say it out loud. Apparently, in his half-awake state, he was even more likely to just say things.

 

“‘S cause I like you,” Duck replied, also mostly asleep. He crowded against Indrid’s back. Indrid leaned into him. Duck brought his arm up to Indrid’s.

 

“That’s good,” Indrid said. He didn’t stay awake much longer after that.

 

~☀~

 

Waking up was terrifying.

 

Indrid felt like he was being restrained somewhere he didn’t recognize. His face was pressed into a pillow, but he could see sunlight at the edges of his vision. A warm weight was holding him down. Indrid thrashed against whatever it was senselessly. Then he remembered where he was.

 

The warmth against his back was Duck. This was Duck’s bed, in his apartment that Indrid had come to last night. Last night which was Christmas Eve, making today Christmas. Indrid was in Duck’s bed with Duck on Christmas morning. That tracked, sort of.

 

Duck had moved his arm when Indrid started fighting him. He stopped lightly snoring, Indrid could hear him shifting as he woke up. Guilt pushed its way to the front of Indrid’s mind. He hadn’t meant to disturb Duck. He tried holding extremely still, but it didn’t work.

 

“Are you okay?” Duck murmured. His voice was thick with sleep and Indrid could feel his chest rumbling.

 

“Yes, sorry,” Indrid said.

 

“What happened?” Duck asked.

 

“Nothing,” Indrid said, “Just got lost for a second.”

 

Duck hummed. Indrid rolled over to face him.

 

“What time is it?” Duck asked.

 

Indrid looked behind Duck at the digital clock. 9:47.

 

“Morning,” Indrid said.

 

“Come on,” Duck laughed, resting his head on Indrid’s chest.

 

“9:47:23, December 25, 2018. Is that better?” Indrid said.

 

“Heh,” Duck said, “It’s Christmas.”

 

“I’m sorry, I didn’t get you anything,” Indrid replied.

 

“You’re here,” Duck said simply. 

 

Indrid smiled. The low warmth in his chest spread to the rest of his body. In a moment of confidence in this new happiness, Indrid pulled Duck closer. He felt more than heard the affirmative grunt that escaped Duck. Two possible timelines presented themselves.

 

One, Indrid would leave that afternoon. He and Duck would spend the morning together watching dumb movies or maybe playing video games. Then Indrid would get in his head about staying there and leave. Duck wouldn’t stop him, but he wouldn’t seem so happy to let Indrid go.

 

The other possibility seemed much more exciting. Indrid and Duck would stay in bed for another hour or so, and then Indrid would help Duck make breakfast. Duck would press an absentminded kiss to Indrid’s cheek, and then realize what he did, and Indrid would kiss him fully. As Indrid pictured it, the other timeline faded out. More timelines took its place, but Indrid didn’t care.

 

The realization came to Indrid that he didn’t have to wait to kiss Duck. In fact, he could do it right now. He really wanted to.

 

“Duck?” Indrid said.

 

“Hm?” Duck looked up. His eyes glittered in the morning sunlight. 

 

Indrid kissed him. Duck made a surprised sound but was clearly happy about it. It felt like the natural next step. Indrid pulled back lazily.

 

“I like you too,” Indrid said.

 

“Wha-- oh, did I say something last night?” Duck’s face was red.

 

“Yes, it was cute,” Indrid said.

 

“Huh. Well, Christmas is going well so far,” Duck said. Indrid laughed.


End file.
